Spanish Springs Standoff Ends Peacefully

By Vicky Nguyen&nbsp|&nbsp

Posted: Fri 10:18 AM, May 23, 2003&nbsp|&nbsp

Updated: Fri 10:18 AM, May 23, 2003

Dozens of Spanish Springs residents got to return home last night after they were evacuated from more than 30 homes when a suicidal man barricaded himself inside a house on Vernoica Avenue, near Eagle Canyon Drive.

Students at nearby Spanish Springs High School were kept inside the school for a time Thursday afternoon, but were eventually allowed to leave.

Sheriff's deputies eventually talked the man into surrendering to conclude an 8-hour standoff which ended shortly before 8:00 p.m. last night.

Deputies say they had just driven an armored vehicle through a fence to get a telephone to the barricaded man, and that's when he decided to lay down his weapons and surrender.

Deputies worked into the night processing scene.

This all started around noon today, when authorities responded to a call from David Stedronsky. He said his brother, Bruce, had begun firing shots through the back door and was out of control.

Bruce lived in a trailer in his brother's back yard, and when deputies arrived, he would not come out. They say he had at least two handguns, and had fired multiple rounds, mostly into the ceiling or down at the floor.

Relatives say the man had been drinking all day, and he was depressed after recently losing his job.

During his conversations with deputies, he asked for drugs and alcohol, and kept saying today would be his lat day.[TAKE SOT

"During the course of this event, this individual fired, we believe, over 20 rounds from a handgun," said Lt. Steven Kelly. "Basically he was talking suicide; wanting to end his life -- wanting us to do it for him."

Neighbors were very shaken up tonight. None in the immediate area would talk to us on camera, but they say this was a very nice family and this is a young subdivision with mostly couples and families with children.

Everyone is grateful they were able to return to their homes, and that this ended without anyone getting hurt.

It's a long list of charge Bruce may face, including discharging a weapon in a residential area; obstructing and resisting arrest. He will likely undergo a mental evatualtion as well.

Online Public Information File

Viewers with disabilities can get assistance accessing this station's FCC Public Inspection File by contacting the station with the information listed below. Questions or concerns relating to the accessibility of the FCC's online public file system should be directed to the FCC at 888-225-5322, 888-835-5322 (TTY), or fccinfo@fcc.gov.